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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23829055">in your arms i’ll stay; my only love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireQueen/pseuds/SapphireQueen'>SapphireQueen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi, F/M, It's been so long since I've only written Pure Fluff, POV Chiba Mamoru, POV Third Person, ish, pure fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:09:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23829055</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireQueen/pseuds/SapphireQueen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>determined to prove to the girls that she can bake, mamoru witnesses a side of usagi he rarely sees. my gift for @chibiranmaruchan ontumblr for the UsaMamoSpringExchange2020!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>in your arms i’ll stay; my only love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>my gift for @chibiranmaruchan for the UsaMamoSpringExchange2020! I saw that you enjoyed baking and liked small, intimate moments between Usagi and Mamoru and whipped this up! Sorry it’s technically very, very late but between my Master’s degree, my teaching job and quarantine, life just seriously got in the way. i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it ! bonus points to anyone who knows where the title is from 👀👀👀</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It is a truth universally known that a single man in need of a delectable dessert must be in want of a partner who can cook.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, in Mamoru’s case, Usagi was not the best cook, baker or anything in between.</p>
<p>“Why do Americans use ounces instead of meters?” She would ramble, on and on, as she kept using her jeans as a wiping mat, no matter how much Mamoru urged her <em> not </em>to do so. “This is stupid.”</p>
<p>“Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s stupid, Usako.” He says, a slight smile to his features that if anyone else were to be privy they would not believe. “Now, come on, let me help you.”</p>
<p>“No!” She continued to insist as Mamoru watched her tumble, toil and fussle in his kitchen. She was intent on learning how to make red velvet cupcakes from some American recipe website and presenting them to her friends. Tired of their taunts and jabs, Usagi had barged into his apartment, without warning and with two to three shopping bags full of baking ingredients and supplies, determined in the idea that she would not only dominate the recipe and prove the senshi wrong, but that she would do it<em> all on her own </em>.</p>
<p>If Mamoru were to tell her that he thought it was a miracle that she hadn’t made something explode yet, he is almost positive that she would have given him dagger eyes that would have either cut him to the core or made him chuckle.</p>
<p>Hell, she is the most powerful woman in the world for a <em> reason </em>.</p>
<p>“Mamo-chan please pass me the stick--<em> uh </em>-- thing…” Usagi says, hand extended towards her boyfriend with a slight pink tint coating her cheeks. She doesn’t even know it’s name. “You know, the one that we use to mix this.”</p>
<p>“The silicone spatula?” He asks, handing the pastel pink one she bought, possibly because it also featured a bunny at it’s tip. “I don’t mind helping you, Usako. You know, I--”</p>
<p>“No, you can’t help me!” She answers and this time all sentiment is gone from her features, the precious cheerfulness and determination with which she had barged into his apartment was a sight to see and had banished as soon as he looked up to bright blue eyes brimming with… something. “You can’t help me cause I’m not a baby! I am not some child that needs helping and I need to prove that.”</p>
<p>Mamoru blinks. There’s a part of him that wants to prod and poke, which is strange because he’s never considered himself the noisy type. But with Usagi… it’s always been different. </p>
<p>He wants to know-- he wants to unravel and unmask what’s going on behind blue eyes and soft smiles. Usagi had always been a star in his dim, grey world-- a sparkle of light and a burst of color that was almost a force to be reckoned with, which is why it’s always a thrill whenever he got to peel off the layers and truly <em> see </em>her-- Tsukino Usagi in her most uncut and pure form: open hearted and emotion driven. </p>
<p>Which is why it is absolutely jarring that she is keeping him out over something as simple as red velvet cupcakes. “Usako…” He says softly and he watches how the emotions flicker through her eyes, a soft shine at the familiar nickname, a softness as the tender he inflicted in his voice. “What happened?”</p>
<p>With an uncharacteristically heavy sigh, Usagi puts the blue bowl and pastel pink silicone spoon down. Once again wiping her hands on her jeans (“<em> Please don’t do that </em> .”), she takes off her adorable flower themed apron and walks towards his window, the floor to ceiling one she would always love to look out of. It was nighttime so the streets of Juuban were covered in specs of light and gold, a slight violet hue hung in the air-- it was one of Usagi’s favorite sights in the world. “I <em> t’s always twinkling </em> ,” She once had told him, hugging her knees close to her chest as she had just come over from a particularly brutal fight against a youma, still battered and broken but wanting this moment to breathe, to simply exist. “ <em> It’s what we fight for </em>.”</p>
<p>As she approaches it now, frown buried in concentration and arms crossed against her chest, she doesn’t look like herself. “The girls…” She starts, voice barely a whisper as she takes a seat at the couch facing the view. Mamoru follows behind her and gently sits beside her, offering the space to her, to make their bodies touch, if it was what she wanted. For the moment, she sits, head propped on her hands as her elbows stand high on her knees. “Am I helpless, Mamoru?” </p>
<p>He has to blink in confusion because the question has caught him completely off guard. Tsukino Usagi was one of the most powerful women-- no, <em> people </em>--- in the galaxy.</p>
<p>He seems to lose his voice as he watches her wandering mind ponder on the thought, on whatever memory is troubling her. “Usa…” Is all he manages to get out before she continues, in the quietest voice. It tugs at his chest, how low her voice seems in this nearly vacant apartment.</p>
<p>“I feel like… I know it’s silly. I know they love me. I know they have,” A moment of hesitation before continuing. “I know they have <em> literally </em>died for me, but sometimes, when we are just Usagi and Rei and Ami and Makoto and Minako… I feel like… a punch line.”</p>
<p>A dark eyebrow quirks upon Mamoru’s face as he watches her. He doesn’t question her or her observations; he’s never truly felt like he matched well in her inner circle (no matter how much Ami argued that he did) but on the rare occasions that they all do share, he has realized that there is a bickering-- Mamoru just assumed it was something friends did to each other, to alleviate the tension and to gently tease.</p>
<p>Apparently, there were limits. </p>
<p>He looks at her and he wants to alleviate Usagi's downtrodden eyes and sad complexion. "You are not helpless, not in the least." He answers, and the honesty of the statement catches him by surprise.  “You are one of the bravest, kindest, strongest people I know.”</p>
<p>Usagi’s eyes, brimmed with unfallen tears, search for him, and she reads his expressions. Usagi has never been someone he could hide from, so there was a point in his life where he stopped trying. She was his other half, his soulmate, his eternal love. </p>
<p>She was also his crying girlfriend who currently held herself in a ball on his couch as the ingredients for red velvet cupcakes remained splattered all around the kitchen counter. </p>
<p>The lightest of smiles slowly makes its way back to Usagi’s face and Mamoru could almost exhale in relief-- she seems to be coming back to her old self, little by little, piece by piece. “Thank you, Mamo-chan.” She adds sweetly, wiping at her own eyes, Mamoru crosses the small space between them and lightly kisses her forehead. She giggles. “You still want to help me with the cupcakes?” She asks lightly.</p>
<p>Mamoru smiles, a gentle one he only ever gives her. “Yes, but please, no more insulting the websites. I’m not a great baker myself, but I’ll try my best.”</p>
<p>With a giggle, Usagi nearly bounces off the couch and makes her way to the kitchen once more, rolling the sleeves of her sweater up in a manner which reminded Mamoru of cartoons before a fight. “Okay, kitchen. You’re about to face your worst challenge yet.” She says rather over dramatically as she swipes the spatula from the counter. “Mamoru, to the internet!”</p>
<p>A gentle laugh escapes him as he whips his phone out, looking for a proper red velvet cupcake recipe. “Are we making these for the senshi?” He asks carefully, as he finds and clicks a recipe in japanese. “Cause I was thinking we could also make some cream cheese frosting and… if some is left over,” He trails off, already expecting the huge grin on Usagi’s face that greets him. </p>
<p>“We can enjoy it!” She reacts triumphantly, waving the spatula in mid air like she does her powerful moon stick. “You’re so smart, Mamo-chan!”</p>
<p>“And you’re the sweetest,” He adds, rather embarrassing as she laughs, cheeks flushing pink.</p>
<p>Yeah, he would always rather embarrass himself than embarrass her; she deserves the world. </p>
<p>Already sensing Minako’s <em> Mamoru you’re such a dad </em> comments, he still makes a point to talk to the girls about Usagi’s feelings. She might not want to bring it up in order to not appear as quote-unquote helpless as she perceives herself to be, but he doesn’t hold the same ideas.</p>
<p>Stepping from the couch, he makes his way back to Usagi already cleaning the previous thrown recipe and starting over. He grabs the bowls and spatulas and starts washing the dishes while Usagi takes the phone from his hand and they start over, as she carefully reads the recipe and he finishes washing the utensils. “See, this is much better,” Usagi nods as she carefully reads the shining screen. “Now we’re sure to get this right.”</p>
<p>Mamoru turns from the sink, resting his lower back against his and he can’t shake the small smile that forms on his features, how his arms cross as he feels each and every one of his defenses melt away whenever Usagi si with him-- she was the only person in this world who ever saw him this sift. </p>
<p>It is such a simple picture they paint, together on a Sunday afternoon, trying their best to bake for the very first time. Mamoru’s kitchen is not the most comfortable or convenient for the task but the happiness that radiates off of Usagi now was nearly infectious, putting a bit more of a kick and beat to his own movements. They move in unison, Usagi giving directions as Mamoru gently follows them, not questioning her in the slightest (she even stopped whipping her hands on her jeans!) and the situation is so simplistically domestic it makes something in Mamoru’s heart sing. So many years of watching how families act on TV or in the cinema had left him feeling somewhat hollow, whenever he would come back home and the apartment would be empty. He doesn't fear that, not anymore, not when Usagi calls him, holds his hand, looks at him as if he held the entire galaxy in his eyes. The ferocity in which Mamoru loves her should terrify him.</p>
<p>It doesn’t, it feels as natural as breathing.</p>
<p> When the batter is finally ready, Usagi hums a gentle little tune as she pours it into the mold and slams the oven door shut, as she comes back up Mamoru can’t resist circling his arms around her waist and kissing the back of her head, inhaling the scent from her golden hair. <em> Strawberries </em>.</p>
<p>“You know, Usa…” He starts, finding strength in her love, loving the way she wiggles and relaxes against him, her own slender hands on the forearm that encircles her waist. “Even if you are clumsy and a bit of a cry baby--”</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>He chuckles, no malice in it. “You’re still the one that makes my days better, and I don't know if it counts for anything, but it means the world to me.”</p>
<p>Usagi turns her whole body around, light blue eyes meeting a matching pair of darker ones and a pink hue kisses her own cheeks. “Mamoru,” She nearly whispers between her lips as she leans forward. “Thank you, for loving me… as I am.”</p>
<p>He smiles back and breaks their distance. “Thank you for letting me.” He answers, kissing her. </p>
<p>“You say that a lot,” She says, and now her own blonde eyebrow lifts in a questioning manner. “As if you don’t deserve to love me.” </p>
<p>Mamoru blushes, there’s a slight shame to his eyes as he takes a second, just a second, to look away. Usagi may be the soldier of the Moon and it’s princess, but he has always thought of her as the bright sun, so beautiful it was almost hard to look at. Risking it all to do so, Icarus reaches with his fingertips to let it’s heat warm his cold heart. “Usagi I’ve done things… terrible things, I--”</p>
<p>“And I have forgiven you.” She finishes for him, clearly not wanting to hear his self deprecating words. “If you can love with my flaws and imperfections, then I am allowed to love you, brainwashes and all.” She answers and he cannot believe his ears, no matter how many times she speaks those healing words at him. “Love is about forgiving, Mamoru. You were not in control. This isn’t a normal situation, but we’re not normal people.” She adds and she sounds so wise, she always has been the more emotionally intelligent of the two. “Now, let’s go to the couch and watch a movie, I want to cuddle.” She pouts. “Please?”</p>
<p>A smile reserved for only her shows on his face as he lets her lead him to the couch, the smell of the red velvet cupcakes swirling around the apartment and the contentment in his being knowing that for at least right here, right now, in this very moment, everything was alright in the world.</p>
<p>And really, what more could an orphan boy who found love ask for?</p>
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